Scientific Calculator
Advanced calculator with trigonometry, logarithms, exponents, constants, and calculation history.
History
About the Scientific Calculator
This free online scientific calculator handles the math a basic four-function calculator cannot: trigonometry, logarithms, powers and roots, the constants π and e, and multi-step expressions with parentheses. It runs entirely in your browser — no download, no signup — and works as a homework checker, an engineering scratchpad, or a stand-in for a handheld unit.
What Makes a Calculator "Scientific"?
Two things separate a scientific calculator from a basic one: an expanded function set and expression-level evaluation. A basic calculator applies each operation the moment you press it, so 3 + 4 × 2 comes out as 14. A scientific calculator reads the whole entry and resolves it with the mathematical order of operations, correctly returning 11. The function set covers the core of algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus: sine, cosine, and tangent; natural and base-10 logarithms; square roots and arbitrary powers; and built-in values for π and Euler's number e. For plain everyday arithmetic the basic calculator is quicker; this tool is built for everything beyond it.
How to Use It
- Build the expression with the on-screen buttons; it appears on the display exactly as it will be evaluated.
- Press = to evaluate the entire expression at once. The result is shown with six decimal places and stored as Ans for reuse.
- Set the DEG or RAD toggle before running any trigonometric function.
- Use C to clear the display, ← to delete the last character, and +/− to flip the sign of the current number.
- Click any result in the history tape to reuse that value in the current expression.
Function Reference
Every function key on this calculator, with a verified example of each:
| Key | Function | Example | Displayed |
|---|---|---|---|
| sin cos tan | Trigonometric functions; follow the DEG/RAD mode | sin(30) in DEG | 0.500000 |
| ln | Natural logarithm, base e | ln(e^2) | 2.000000 |
| log | Common logarithm, base 10 | log(1000) | 3.000000 |
| √ | Square root | sqrt(2) | 1.414214 |
| xʸ | Power — base raised to an exponent; squaring is x^2 | 2^10 | 1024.000000 |
| % | Divides the preceding number by 100 | 200*10% | 20.000000 |
| π e | Constants 3.14159265… and 2.71828182… | 2*pi | 6.283185 |
| ( ) | Group terms and override precedence | (3+4)*2 | 14.000000 |
| Ans | Recalls the last result | sqrt(2), then Ans^2 | 2.000000 |
| +/− | Toggles the sign of the current number | 5 becomes −5 | — |
The key set is deliberately focused: there are no dedicated factorial, inverse-trig, or x² keys. Squaring is done with xʸ (5^2 returns 25), and other roots are powers too — the cube root of x is x^(1/3).
Worked Examples
Each example was run on this calculator; the displayed column matches the screen, which always prints six decimal places.
| You type | Displayed | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 2^10 | 1024.000000 | 2 multiplied by itself ten times |
| log(1000) | 3.000000 | 10³ = 1000, so the base-10 logarithm is 3 |
| ln(e^2) | 2.000000 | the natural logarithm undoes the power of e |
| sin(30) — DEG mode | 0.500000 | sine of a 30° angle is exactly 1/2 |
| sqrt(2) | 1.414214 | √2 ≈ 1.41421356, rounded to six decimals |
| 3+4*2 | 11.000000 | multiplication is done before addition |
| (3+4)*2 | 14.000000 | parentheses force the addition first |
| 200*10% | 20.000000 | 10% becomes 10/100, so 200 × 0.1 |
The last displayed digit is rounded, but the stored value keeps full precision: sqrt(2)^2 still returns 2.000000. For percentage work with every step spelled out — discounts, tax, tips — try the percentage calculator.
Order of Operations (PEMDAS)
Because the whole expression is evaluated when you press =, the calculator follows the standard order of operations, remembered as PEMDAS:
- P — Parentheses first
- E — Exponents: powers and roots
- MD — Multiplication and Division, left to right
- AS — Addition and Subtraction, left to right
That rule is what separates 3 + 4 * 2 = 11 from (3 + 4) * 2 = 14: without parentheses, the multiplication binds first. Powers obey it too, so 2 + 3^2 is 11 while (2 + 3)^2 is 25. When in doubt, add parentheses — they are never wrong, only sometimes unnecessary.
Degrees vs. Radians
Angles come in two units: degrees, where a full circle is 360°, and radians, where a full circle is 2π ≈ 6.283. The sin, cos, and tan keys read their input in whichever unit the DEG/RAD toggle shows, and mixing them up is the classic scientific-calculator mistake. In RAD mode, sin(30) returns −0.988032 instead of 0.500000, because the calculator takes the sine of 30 radians (about 4.77 full turns), not of a 30-degree angle. Use degrees for geometry and homework angles; use radians for calculus and physics. Whenever a trig answer looks wrong, check the mode first.
Scientific Notation and Display Precision
Scientific notation writes very large or very small numbers as a coefficient times a power of ten — Avogadro's number is 6.02 × 10²³, not 602 followed by twenty-one zeros. To enter such a value here, use the xʸ key: 6.02*10^23. This calculator never abbreviates results into exponent form: it prints the full number with six decimal places, so 2^100 appears as all thirty-one digits. Two practical consequences: results with an absolute value below 0.0000005 display as 0.000000, and the sixth decimal is rounded. When chaining calculations, reuse results through the Ans key or the history tape instead of retyping a rounded decimal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What functions does this scientific calculator support?
The key set covers sin, cos, and tan with a DEG/RAD toggle; natural log (ln); base-10 log; square root; the xʸ power key; the constants π and e; parentheses; percent; sign toggle; and an Ans key that recalls your last result. There are no factorial or inverse-trig keys — squares are entered as powers, such as 5^2.
Why did sin(30) return -0.988 instead of 0.5?
The calculator was in RAD mode. With the toggle set to RAD, sin(30) is the sine of 30 radians, about -0.988032. Switch to DEG and sin(30) returns 0.500000, the sine of a 30-degree angle. Check the DEG/RAD toggle whenever a trigonometric result looks wrong.
How do I square a number or compute a power like 2^10?
Press the xʸ key between the base and the exponent, then press =. Typing 2^10 returns 1024.000000, and squaring works the same way: 5^2 returns 25.000000. Roots work as fractional powers too — the cube root of 8 is 8^(1/3), which displays 2.000000.
How does the % key work?
The % key divides the number before it by 100, turning 50% into 0.5. That makes percentage-of calculations direct: 200*10% evaluates as 200 times 0.1 and returns 20.000000.
Why does every answer show six decimal places?
The display always prints six digits after the decimal point and rounds the last one, so sqrt(2) shows 1.414214. The stored value keeps full precision, so chaining with the Ans key or the history tape does not accumulate rounding error.
How does the history feature work?
Your last 10 calculations are stored during your session. Click any previous answer to reuse it in a new calculation.
Is this scientific calculator free to use?
Yes. The calculator is completely free and runs entirely in your browser. No data is sent to any server.
Can I use keyboard input?
Currently, the calculator is optimized for on-screen button input to ensure accuracy across all devices.